Tortoise Room remodel

[Jodie]

I am in Spokane WA, so winters are long and cold. I bring my leopard tortoises inside. We remodeled a bedroom to an official tortoise room.



This is where we started.





We put down insulation, then rock board, and press board on top.





Then walls. The room is divided into 3 enclosures.





This is Mort's area.





Each enclosure has a humid night hide with a Kane mat.






The 2 females enclosures each have a nesting area.


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Scarlett, my 20 pound females area is 8 inches deep. I may add several inches.
Nia is about 11 inches. Her area is smaller, but still close to 8 inches deep.



My small adults each have over 30 square feet, and Scarlett the largest has twice that.
I have spider plants to decorate with when I get bored, and intend to plant some pumpkin and squash. Might even try a watermelon.
Constructive feedback welcome.

 

[Team Gomberg]

Never enough photos....LOL

 

[Merrick]

I am not sure about the way you positioned the cinder blocks/rocks the seem like tipping hazards also you should add more substrate to the bare wood areas. Are you going to add grass

 

[Jodie]

I am not sure about the way you positioned the cinder blocks/rocks the seem like tipping hazards also you should add more substrate to the bare wood areas. Are you going to add grass

I had to decided last night to switch to bigger blocks for the ones standing. No and no though on larger dirt area, especially enough to plant grass. This is my house. I do not want my tortoise to end up in the basement on my step sons head.

 

[DawnH]

I had to decided last night to switch to bigger blocks for the ones standing. No and no though on larger dirt area, especially enough to plant grass. This is my house. I do not want my tortoise to end up in the basement on my step sons head.

Very cool!! You could plant grasses in large shallow containers (I use the really large Glad containers found at Wal*Mart and drill holes in them) and add them in as they grow. Most of the seed mixes I have gotten do well indoors and with your nice sunny window they should grow perfect!

 

[gingerbee]

Fabulous!! You guys do great work for your torts!!!

 

[Jodie]

Very cool!! You could plant grasses in large shallow containers (I use the really large Glad containers found at Wal*Mart and drill holes in them) and add them in as they grow. Most of the seed mixes I have gotten do well indoors and with your nice sunny window they should grow perfect!

I do grow trays for my little ones. The closet of this room is set up with grow lights and 4 shelves. I can't grow enough though to make much difference in the big guys diets. I am hoping pumpkin and squash will grow well. I have a couple of long skinny planters I am going to try. Fortunately the big guys all will eat hay.

 

[Jodie]

Fabulous!! You guys do great work for your torts!!!

Thank you. We try.

 

[Thumper74]

Crazy question! I'm in Cleveland, OH, so our winters can get pretty brutal. Are you leaving the subfloor uncoated? Are you concerned about their 'accidents' soaking into the floor? I have a decent size sulcata and want to do this, but I'm curious about the best path. I was thinking about covering the floor in linoleum...

 

[Jodie]

Crazy question! I'm in Cleveland, OH, so our winters can get pretty brutal. Are you leaving the subfloor uncoated? Are you concerned about their 'accidents' soaking into the floor? I have a decent size sulcata and want to do this, but I'm curious about the best path. I was thinking about covering the floor in linoleum...

Yes I am worried. We have used linoleum before and it still gets gross. Plus it is slick for walking on. The areas where I put substrate, I laid plastic. The top layer of floor is floating, so I can replace it when needed.

 

[Jodie]

Nina enjoying her basking area.

Scarlett is still potty about the change.

So her basking area is empty.

 

[Jodie]

Pouty, not potty. Stupid autocorrect.
Mort is also unhappy, and today's grass and hay meal is not too pleasing either.

 

[Thumper74]

Floating floor?! Brilliant! I'll probably put some plastic sheeting down and cover the whole room in cheap chip board. That should do it.

 

[leigti]

View attachment 149828
Pouty, not potty. Stupid autocorrect.
Mort is also unhappy, and today's grass and hay meal is not too pleasing either.
View attachment 149829

Are they getting over it?

 

[Jodie]

Scarlett is pacing a ton. Willing to bet she is going to lay more eggs very soon. Every 4 weeks she has been laying. About to see if she finds the indoor nesting area acceptable.
I added some African Violets today to their enclosures. They do seem to be adjusting to the new routine slowly. The new female Nia is hiding a lot. She is out during the day, but when I get home n am in there she goes to her hide.

 

[stojanovski92113]

Very nice!!!

 

[leigti]

I hope you get some more eggs soon.

 

[Jodie]

Very nice!!!

Thank you.

 

[Jodie]

I hope you get some more eggs soon.

None of them are good.

 

[leigti]

None of them are good.

I'm sorry. That really stinks.